Apparatus for producing and accumulating cartons

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for producing flat side-seamed cartons from prescored carton blanks and for accumulating successive cartons in a manner such as to make it convenient for an operator in handling groups of cartons for distribution to other machines or for packing for future use.

United States Patent John W, Scully Inventor Raynham, Mass. Appl. No.818,034 Filed Apr. 21, 1969 Patented Oct. 12, 1971 Assignee PneumaticScale Corporation Quincy, Mass.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING AND ACCUMULATING CARTONS 3 Claims, 14 DrawingFigs.

US. Cl 93/36.3, 93/36 SQ, 93/52, 93/93 DP Int. Cl B311) 1/64, B311)1/96, B31b 1/06 Field of Search 93/36 SQ, 36.3, 49, 52, 53, 93

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Hirose Hess Hess LaBornbard.

Simmons 1.

Hartbauer Dieter Fuller... Back Primary ExaminerWayne A. Morse, Jr.Attorney-Robert R. Churchill 93/93 M 93/36.3 93/36.3 93/49 93/36 SQ93/93 X 93/49 M 93/53 X 93/52 X ABSTRACT: Apparatus for producing flatside-seamed cartons from prescored carton blanks and for accumulatingsuccessive cartons in a manner such as to make it convenient for anoperator in handling groups of cartons for distribution to othermachines or for packing for future use.

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' SHEET 9 [1F 9 I INVENTOR By J. W Scufly fdhuae (Luca/Q40 ATTORNEYAPPARATUS FOR PRODUCING AND ACCUMULATING CARTONS SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to the packaging art and contemplatesnovel apparatus for feeding, folding and side-seaming flat tubularcartons, known in the art as knockdown cartons, prepared from prescoredcarton blanks. The invention further contemplates novel provision foraccumulating successive side seamed cartons in a uniform arrangementwhereby an operator is enabled to conveniently remove groups of cartonsmanually for distribution to the magazines of packaging machines or forpacking'the same in containers for shipment or storage. The side-seamingapparatus takes the form of a conveyor to which prescored cartons arefed and which has provision for applying adhesive to the blank, foldingthe blank to provide a side seam, pressing the side seam and dischargingthe side-seamed carton. The accumulating apparatus also takes the formof a conveyor onto which successive cartons are discharged.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention novel provision is madefor transferring successive flat tubular cartons from the side-seamingconveyor to the accumulating conveyor. Successive cartons thustransferred fall by gravity onto the accumulating conveyor. In practice,the two conveyors are provided with separate drives and the speed rationbetween the side-seaming conveyor and accumulating conveyor is such thatthe slower moving accumulating conveyor collects the cartons one on topof the other in overlapping relation with the leading edges ofsuccessive cartons spaced a short distance apart which in effectcomprises a feathered or shingled relationship conveniently arranged sothat an operator at the other end of the accumulating conveyor caneasily grasp successive groups of cartons manually for distribution toother machines or for packing the same in containers.

In operation, the feeding mechanism is arranged to withdraw successivelowermost carton blanks from a stack thereof and to present successiveblanks to a continuously moving conveyor where the blanks are firstprovided with a strip of adhesive along a seam-forming portion. Theprescored panels on either side of the blank are then folded inwardly tojoin the marginal edges and to form a tube provided with a side seam.The side seam is then pressed to firmly set the adhesive and the cartonis discharged onto the accumulating conveyor.

The illustrated blank-feeding device is arranged to withdraw successivelowermost prescored carton blanks from a stack thereof and to transferthe same to the side-seaming conveyor. Provision is made for preventingrelease of more than one blank at a time and for quickly releasing ajammed blank in the feeding device. Novel provision is made for foldingsuccessive blanks along two of the prescored lines whereby to presentthe marginal edges in overlapped engagement to provide a side seam, andnovel provision is also made for pressing the side scam in a manner suchas to confine the pressing operation to the adhesively secured portiononly of the carton.

Accordingly, the present invention has for one object to provideapparatus for producing flat tubular cartons from prescored cartonblanks characterized by novel structure adapted to produce cartons in arapid, efficient and economical manner.

The invention has for another object to provide novel and improvedapparatus of the character specified characterized by novelcarton-blank-feeding mechanism arranged to withdraw successive cartonblanks from a stack thereof at a rapid rate.

The invention has for a further object to provide novel and improvedapparatus of the character specified having novel provision foraccumulating successive cartons discharged from the aide-seamingconveyor in a convenient arrangement to be manually removed fordistribution or packing purposes.

With these general objects in view and such others as may hereinafterappear, the invention consists in the apparatus for producing andaccumulating cartons, and-in the various structures, arrangements andcombination of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined inthe claims at the end of this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings illustrating thepreferred embodiment of th invention:

FIG. I is a side elevation of apparatus for producing and ac: cumulatingcartons embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. I; i 7

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a prescored carton blank from which thepresent cartons are produced;

FIG. 4 is a folded and side-seamed carton produced 'in'the presentapparatus;

FIG. 5 is a view in side elevation of the carton bIank-feeding deviceincluding a magazine for supporting a stack of cartons;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view at a'larger scale of the lower end ofthe magazine illustrating a modified form thereof and showing a blankpartially withdrawn;

FIG. 7 is a view in front elevation of a portion of the magazine shownin FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a detail view in side elevation of modified folding membersembodied in the side-seaming conveyor;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of FIG. 8 showingthe modified folding members;

FIG. 10 is an end view of the side-seaming conveyor showing the sideseam presser rolls and illustrating a modified form of operatingmechanism;

FIG. 11 is a rear view of the presser-roll-operating mechanism;

FIG. 12 is a view in side elevation of the carton-accumulating conveyor,

FIG. 13 is a detail view in side elevation of the discharge end of theside-seamer belt and-the receiving-end of the accumulating conveyor; and

FIG. 14 is a plan view of the structureshown in FIG. 13.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawingsand particularly to FIG. 1, in general the present apparatus includescarton-blank-feeding mechanism 10 adapted to withdraw successivelowermost carton blanks 12 from a stack 14 thereof supported in amagazine 16. The upright stack is arranged at an angle of about 40,9.thevertical for convenience in loading the magazine and also to reduce theheight of the unit.

The carton blanks 12 are prescored and, in operation, successive blankswithdrawn from the stack are advanced longitudinally to present theleading ends thereof first between advancing rolls 18, 20 and thenbetween transfer rolls 22, 24, the latter being arranged to present thecartons to 'a horizontal conveyor indicated generally at 26 wherein amarginal edge, comprising the side seam flap 27, of the blank isprovided with adhesive by a glue-applying roller 28 during the advanceof the carton blank. The sidewall panels along the outeredges of thecarton, including a narrow panel 29onone sideand a wider panel 31 on theother side, are then folded inwardly by folding rails indicatedgenerally at 30 topresent the longitudinal marginal edges in overlappingand adhesive engagement. The carton is thus folded along two score linesand provided with a side scam, the latter being firmly pressed to setthe seal by a presser roll 32 during the continuous advance of theblank. The blanks thus folded and sealed to form a flattube arepropelled from the discharge end of the side-seaming-conveyor 26 ontothe receiving end of an accumulating conveyor 34.

Referring now to FIG. 5 for a more detailed description of thecarton-blank feeding mechanism'IO, it will be seen that successivelowermost carton blanks 12 in the-stack are arranged to be withdrawn by'engagementwith a plurality of laterally spaced friction belts 42arranged to run over spaced idler pulleys 44 fast on a shaft 46 andspaced drive pulleys 48 fast on a shaft 50. The friction belts 42 arerun continuously and each belt comprises a rubber belt having aplurality of small upstanding resilient projections thereon.

In order to control the withdrawal of successive blanks in timedrelation to the operation of the machine, a plurality of laterallyspaced lifting rolls 52, which extend between the spaced belts 42, arearranged to alternately elevate the stack 14 to lift the lowermost blank12 away from the belts and to lower the stack to present the lowermostblank in frictional engagement with the belts to effect withdrawal of ablank. The rolls 52 are mounted on a rod 53 carried by spaced arms 54which are mounted on a shaft 56. A second arm 58 carried by the shaft 56is connected by a link 59 to one arm 60 of a bellcrank mounted to rockon a shaft 62. The second arm 64 of the bellcrank carries a roller 66for cooperation with a cam 68 fast on a camshaft 70.

As herein shown, the rear edge of the lower end of the stack 14 engagesa roller 72 carried by an arm 74 which is adjustably mounted in themagazine 16. The roller 72 carries some of the weight of the stack andis extended slightly forwardly of the rear edge of the stack so as tocause the leading edges of the lowermost group of blanks to feather outforwardly as shown. The forward end of the stack carries a plurality ofangular guides 76 against which the feathered edges of the lowermostgroups of blanks rests. The guides 76 are vertically adjustable and arearranged to cooperate with driven rolls 78 to assist in freeing thelowermost blank from the stack. In operation, the spacing between thelower ends of the guides 76 and the periphery of the rolls 78 is aboutone and one-half times the thickness of the carton blank. When thelifting rolls 52 are rocked to their elevated position, the blanks areraised above the friction belts 42 and, conversely, when the stack islowered by the rolls 52, as shown in FIG. 5, the lowermost blank isengaged by the belts and carried under the guides 76 into the grip ofthe driven feed rolls 18, spaced a short distance forwardly of the frontend of the magazine. In practice, the friction belts are operative tofeed the forward end of the blank for a short distance only before thefeed rolls 18, 20 take over the blank-advancing operation, the rollsbeing driven at a surface speed equal to the linear speed of the belts42. As shown in FIG. 5, the spacing between the guides 76 and the rolls78 permits only one blank at a time to be withdrawn from the undersideof the stack. in operation, the lifting rolls 52 must be actuated toelevate the stack before the trailing end of the blank being withdrawnleaves the magazine whereby to prevent release of a succeeding cartonimmediately following the first. The cam-operated lifting rolls thusserve to control the spacing of the carton blanks in timed relation tothe operation of the machine.

ln a modified form of magazine, as shown in FIG. 6, angular stop guides398 are mounted for vertical adjustment in grooves 400 formed in framemembers 402 which comprise a part of the magazine. Each frame member 402is provided with a block 404 secured thereto and which spans the groove400 to serve as a gib. Another block 406 serves as a second gib asshown. Each angular stop guide 398 is likewise provided with a block 408secured thereto, and is arranged to cooperate with an adjustable stopstud 410 carried by and extended from a stationary block 404. A pair ofsprings 414 connected between studs carried by the guide block 408 andthe stationary block 404 holds the stop guide down in its adjustedposition relative to the roller 78. A nut 415 serves to lock the stud410 in its adjusted position.

As herein shown, provision is made for quickly elevating the stop guides398 to relieve a jam in the feeder. As illustrated in FIG. 6, a handle416 pivotally mounted at 418 in a bracket 420 attached to the framemember 422 is connected by a curved link 424 to the movable block 408attached to the stop guide 398. In operation, in the event a jam occursbetween the stop guides and the rollers 78, the handle 416 may be raisedto elevate the stop guides against the resistance of the springs 414.Conversely, when the jam is relieved, the handle may be released toreturn the stop guides to their adjusted position.

The leading ends of successive carton blanks 12 advanced by the feedrolls 18, 20 are received between the continuously driven transfer rolls22, 24 to be delivered to the horizontal conveyor 26. As herein shown,the upper transfer rolls 22 are provided with cutouts 23 to receive theleading ends of the blanks and to ease their transition from an inclinedposition to a horizontal position on the conveyor 26.

The drives to the carton-blank-feeding device 10 include a chain andsprocket drive 80 from the camshaft 70 to the shaft 50 on which thepulleys 48 are mounted. The shaft 50 is connected by spur gears 82, 84,86 to a shaft 88 on which the rolls 78 are mounted for cooperation withthe guides 76. The shaft 50 is also connected by spur gears 90, 92 to ashaft 94 which carries the upper feed rolls 18. The shaft 94 is carriedby spring-pressed block bearings 96 slidingly mounted in the side framesand the shaft 46 on which the pulleys 44 are mounted is also carried byblock bearings 98 adjustably mounted in the frames to serve as a belttightener.

The cam shaft 70 is driven by a chain and sprocket connection 100 to ashaft 102 which latter is connected by bevel gears 104, 106 to alongitudinally extended shaft 108. The latter shaft is connected bybevel gears 110, 112 to a driven shaft 114. The shaft 114 is connectedby spur gears 116 to a shaft 118 which in turn is connected by a chainand sprocket drive 120 to a drive shaft 122. The shaft 122 comprises theoutput shaft of a speed-reducing unit 430. The input shaft of the unitis connected by a belt and pulley drive 432 to a motor 434.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the horizontal conveyor 26 includes apair of laterally spaced chains 124 provided with longitudinally spacedlugs or flights 126 arranged to engage the rear or trailing edges of ablank 12 delivered to the conveyor by the transfer rolls 22, 24. Thechains 124 are continuously driven and are arranged to run over uppersprockets 128, 130 mounted on shafts 132, 134, respectively, at each endof the conveyor; lower sprockets 136, 138 mounted on shafts 102, 114;and intermediate guide sprockets 140, 142. The sprockets 138 are fast onthe shaft 114 to effect driving of the chains 124. The shaft 132 isconnected by spur gears 144 to the shaft 146 on which the upper rolls 22are mounted. The upper rolls are supported in block bearings 148slidably mounted in the supporting frame.

ln operation, the surface speed of the transfer rolls 22, 24 is fasterthan the linear speed of the chains 124 of the conveyor 26 so that acarton blank 12 deposited on the conveyor comes to rest momentarilyafter leaving the transfer rolls until the chain lugs 126 engage thetrailing end to start the blank forward to carry it through the machine.As shown in FIG. 1, the drive to the shaft 132 on which the lower roll24 is mounted comprises a chain and sprocket drive from the shaft 102.it will be understood that the sprockets 128 on shaft 102 over which thecarrier chains 124 run comprise idlers and that the chain and sprocketdrive 145 is designed to effect rotation of the shaft 132 at a rate suchthat the carton blank 12 will be deposited on the conveyor 26 prior toarrival of the lugs 126. As herein shown, the blank is guided betweenside guides 150, 152 and under holddown rails 154, 156. The blank isfirst carried past the adhesive-applying roller 28 where the undersideof the side seam flap 27 is provided with a coating of adhesive.

As shown in FIG. 1, the adhesive-applying roller 28 is relatively narrowand is mounted for adjustment on a shaft 158 arranged to be rotated intimed relation to the advance of the carton by chain and sprocketconnections from the shaft 114 including a connection 159 to a shaft160, a second connection 161 to a shaft 162 and a final connection 164to the shaft 158. In practice, the roller 28 is rotated at a surfacespeed slightly less than the linear speed of the conveyor chains 124 sothat the trailing end of the carton side seam flap will not receive asurplus of adhesive such as would occur if the applying roller weretraveling faster than the blank. The applying roller 28 is arranged torun in a gluepot 166 provided with a quick-setting hot melt adhesive. Asherein shown, the gluepot is carried by parallel arms 168 arranged to belowered by a handle 170 to permit convenient cleaning and servicing ofthe same. One of the guide rails, 152, is provided with a short rail 172overlying a portion of the applying roller and under which the side seamflap 27 extends, the rail 172 serving to retain the flap in operativeengagement with the applying roller during the adhesive-applyingoperation.

The carton blank is then guided under shoes 174, 176 whose outer edgesare aligned with score lines 178, 180, respectively, of the carton blankand past stationary folding rails 182, 184 shaped and bent to effectinward folding of the sidewall panels 29 and 31 through 180. Asillustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, in order to initiate the foldingoperation, particularly when the cartons are traveling along theconveyor at a high rate of speed, rotary folding members 183, 185 one oneach side of the conveyor are provided. The rotary folders 183, 185 aremounted on a shaft 162 which is connected by a chain and sprocket drive161 to the shaft 160. As herein shown, the holddown rails 154, 156 andthe shoes 174, 176 are mounted for lateral adjustment on rods 186carried by arms 188. The arms 188 are clamped to a longitudinallyextended rocker shaft 190 journaled in bearing brackets 192 attached tothe frame. The folding rails 182 on one side of the conveyor 26 arelikewise carried by and adjustably mounted on arms 194 clamped to therocker shaft 190. The folding rails 184 on the other side of theconveyor are carried by and adjustably mounted on arms 196 clamped to arocker shaft 198. With this construction it will be seen that theoperating elements of the side-seaming conveyor are adjustable fordifferent sizes of cartons within predetermined minimum and maximumlimits. As shown in FIG. 1, the side-seamed carton passes under a guideplate 195 on one side and under a rod 197 on the other side which serveto complete the creased fold along the score lines 178,180.

In practice, the holddown and folding elements are spring urgeddownwardly to a predetermined and adjustable stop position and arecapable of rocking upwardly in the event of a jam. Suitable controls,not shown, may be provided for stopping the machine when such a jamoccurs. It will be understood that the wider sidewall panel 31 comprisesthe first folded panel whereby to present the adhesive-coated flap 27face up whereupon the narrower panel 29 is folded down on top of theflap 27 to provide the side seam indicated at 200. Immediatelythereafter, during the continued advance of the carton, the side seam200 is subjected to a pressing operation by driven pressure rollsincluding the roll 32 previously referred to and a cooperating roll204arranged to spread and set the adhesive.

During the pressing operation, the carton is supported on a continuouslymoving belt 206 which is coextensive with the chain conveyor 26. Thebelt 206 and the driven rolls 32 and 204 are arranged to travel fasterthan the carrier chains 124 in order to pull the .carton ahead of thelugs 126 during the transfer from the chains to the belt. Thus, inpractice, the pressure rolls not only press the glue seam but alsoaccelerate the carton away from the chain lugs. As herein shown, thebelt 206 runs over a drive pulley 212 fast on a drive shaft 222 and overa driven pulley 214 mounted to rotate on a stud 216 fast in a bracket218. The drive shaft 222 is rotated by a chain and sprocket drive 220from the carrier chain sprocket shaft 134 and is designed to effect alinear speed of the belt 206 at a faster rate than the linear speed ofthe carrier chains 124. The lower pressure roll 204 is also mounted onthe pulley shaft 222. The upper roll 32 is mounted on a shaft 224 and isconnected to rotate with the lower roll by spur gears 226. As hereinshown, the upper roll shaft 224 is journaled in a bracket 228 pivotallymounted at 230 and is rocked in a direction to urge the roll 32 intocooperating engagement with the lower roll 204 by a compression spring232 coiled about a rod 233 and interposed between a yoke 234 forming apart of the bracket 228 and a shaft 236 journaled in spaced arms 238extended from a bracket 240 attached to the machine frame. In practice,the rod 233 may extend through the shaft 236 and connections to thelower end of the rod may be made to effect manual rocking of the bracket228 to an inoperative position when desired. As herein shown, the lowerend of the rod 233 may be provided with a hub 235 havinga cam surfaceatits upper end engaging the handle 237 and rocking of the handle willeffect rocking of the pressure roll 32 upwardly.

In operation, it may be desired to limit the pressing'operation to theside seam area 200 only as defined by the flap 27 of the carton blank12, that is, to maintain the roll 32 elevated until the closing flaparea at one end'has passed and again lifting the roll before it engagesthe closing flaps at the other end of the carton so as to avoidsqueezing glue out of the ends of the seam onto the closing flaps. Thismay be accomplished by rocking the upper roll 32 into and out ofcooperating engagement with the lower roll 204 through cam-operatedlinkage. As herein shown, see FIGS. 10 and 11, an extension 436. fromthe bracket 234 is connected by a link 438 to one arm 440 of a two-armedcam lever pivotally mounted on the shaft 134 journaled in the frame. Thesecond arm 442 of the lever carries a cam roll 444 for cooperation witha cam 446fast on a shaft 448. The shaft 448 is connected by spur gears450 to the drive shaft 114. The cam 446 is adjustable to effect raisingand lowering of the upper roll 32 each cycle of operation in timedrelation to the passage of successive cartons. The cam 446 may beadjusted so that the upper roll 32 engages the side seam portion 200only which corresponds to the length of the side seam flap 27.

The passage of the carton between the rolls 32, 204 also serves toaccelerate the carton and in order to continue acceleration of thecarton to propel the same onto the accumulating conveyor 34, a roller242 carried by an arm 244 is arranged to cooperate with the dischargeend of the belt 206 adjacent the pulley 214. The arm 244 is mounted topivot on a stud 246 and is pressed downwardly by a coil spring 248carried between an extension 250 from the arm 244 and a second arm 252clamped to the stud 246. The stud 246 is adjustably mounted in anelongated slot 254'formed in a bracket 256.

As herein shown, the accumulating conveyor 34 comprises an elongatedbelt 452 which runs over pulleys 454, 456 at either end of the conveyor.The pulleys are mounted on shafts 458, 460, respectively, journaled inbearings 462 attached to side rails 464, 466 which are supported onfloor stands 468. Suitable provision is made for maintaining the belt452 in a taut condition, as indicated at 470, wherein a portion of thelower run of the belt extending between idler pulleys 472, 474 isengaged by an idler 476 carried by a pivotally mounted arm 478. A spring480 connected between the, arm 478 and one of the floor stands 468 isarranged to rock the idler 476 downwardly to tighten the belt.

The pulley 454 at the receiving end of the conveyor comprises an idlerand the pulley 456at the discharge end comprises the drive pulley. Asherein shown, the shaft 460 on which the drive pulley is mounted isconnected by.a chain and sprocket drive 482 to the output shaft ofaspeedreducer 484. The input shaft of the speed reducer is connected by a beltand pulley drive 486 to an electric motor 488. The conveyor is alsoprovided with guide rails 490, 492 attached to. the side rails 464, 466respectively.

In operation, the side-seaming conveyor 26 is disposed a short distanceabove the accumulating'conveyor 34 and is driven at a greater rate ofspeed than the'accumulating conveyor. In practice, a speed ratio of 20m1 may be maintained and the speed of the side-seaming conveyor is suchas to propel successive side-seamed cartons from the discharge endthereof to fall by gravity onto the receiving end of the slower movingaccumulating conveyor. As a result, successive cartons which fall ontothe belt 452 andbetween the guide rails 490, 492 are arranged on top ofthe other with the leading edges spaced apart a distance of 1 inch toprovide in effect a shingled or feathered relationship on.-the belt452/As illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14, a pair of downwardly bent guideplates 494, 496 are adjustably secured, one on either side of theconveyor, at points in thepath of the cartonsdischarged from thesideseaming conveyor. The bent plates are disposed above and a shortdistance beyond the receiving end of the accumulating conveyor and areprovided for the purpose of guiding and controlling the movement of thecartons propelled from the side-seaming conveyor whereby to effect amore or less uniform drop of successive cartons onto the accumulatingconveyor. in a modified form of the invention, not shown, the downwardlybent plates may be replaced by a roller or by a continuously moving beltdisposed in the path of the cartons discharged from theside-seamer-conveyor to serve the same purpose, that is, to apply someresistance to the forward movement of the cartons to provide a moreuniform placement of successive cartons onto the accumulating conveyor.

The cartons thus accumulated and continuously advanced on the conveyor34 may be discharged onto a platform 500 arranged coextensive with theupper run of the belt. The platform is supported by brackets 502attached to extensions of the side rails 464, 466 as shown. The cartonsthus accumulated and discharged may be conveniently grasped by theoperator in groups for manual distribution to the magazines ofcarton-squaring and bottom-sealing machines, or they may be packed incontainers for shipment or storage for further use.

Referring again to F IG. 5, provision is made for latching the cam lever64 in an upraised position to maintain the stack 14 in an elevatedposition when it is desired to discontinue feeding of the carton blanks.This may be done by a manual control or by an automatic control of anyusual or preferred construction. in either event, a normally closedsolenoid valve 356, see FIG. 5, which connects a source of air from apipe 357 to an air cylinder 358 is actuated to open the valve 356 uponclosing of the circuit 359. Opening of the valve effects extension ofthe stem 360 which engages one arm 362 of a bellcrank pivotally mountedon a stud 364 carried by a bracket 366. The arm 362 is spring urged in aclockwise direction and the second arm 368 of the bellcrank is connectedto one arm 370 of the latch 371 by a rod 372 fixed in the arm 370 andslidingly mounted in the arm 368. The rod 372 is provided with a nut 373to limit the sliding movement and to the effect positive disengagementof the latch. A compression spring 374 coiled about the rod 372 isarranged to rock the latch in a counterclockwise direction on the stud364 to present the latch 371 in the path of an extension 376 of the camlever 64. This type of control is of advantage when it is desired toautomatically discontinue the feed of the cartons in the event that ajam occurs in the side-seaming device such as to cause elevation of thefolding elements wherein a microswitch 378 may be placed to close thecircuit 359 to the solenoid valve 356 in such event, or a manuallyoperated switch may be provided in the circuit. Another form of controlfor discontinuing the feed of carton blanks, as illustrated in FIG. 5,may comprise a photoelectric scanning unit indicated at 380 which isarranged to detect an oversupply of completed cartons at a forward pointin the packaging line, and to actuate the solenoid valve 356 whereby toeffect latching of the cam lever 64.

From the above description it will be seen that the present apparatus iscapable of producing flat tubular or side-seamed cartons from prescoredcarton blanks in a rapid, efficient and economical manner. It will alsobe observed that the present apparatus provides novel carton-feedingmechanism and novel mechanism for accumulating the cartons whereby tofacilitate manual handling of the same for distribution to othermachines or for packing into containers for shipment or for storage forfuture use.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been hereinillustrated and described, it will be understood that the carton blanksincludin a conveyor, means for feedin successive prescored carton lanksonto the receiving en of said conveyor, means cooperating with thedischarge end of said 0 conveyor for receiving and accumulating theside-seamed cartons including a second conveyor, said first conveyorarranged to discharge the cartons at a rate relative to the movement ofthe second conveyor such as to arrange the cartons one upon another withthe leading edges of successive cartons spaced a short distance apart,said carton-blank-feeding means comprising a magazine for supporting astack of prescored carton blanks, means for withdrawing successivelowermost carton blanks from the stack, means including stop guides forassuring release of only one carton blank at a time, means for adjustingsaid stop guides, and means for elevating the same to release a jammedcarton blank.

2. ln apparatus of the character described, in combination, means forproducing flat side-seamed cartons from prescored canon blanks includinga conveyor, means for feeding successive prescored carton blanks ontothe receiving end of said conveyor, means cooperating with the dischargeend of said conveyor for receiving and accumulating the side-seamedcartons including a second conveyor, said first conveyor arranged todischarge the cartons at a rate relative to the movement of the secondconveyor such as to arrange the cartons one upon another with theleading edges of successive cartons spaced a short distance apart, saidaccumulating conveyor disposed at a lower level than said firstconveyor, the cartons being propelled forwardly from said first conveyorto fall freely by gravity onto the receiving end of said accumulatingconveyor into shingled relation to preceding cartons, the side seams ofsaid cartons being adhesively secured, said producing means including acam-operated presser roll adapted to be raised and lowered to effectapplication of pressure to the side seam portions only of the cartonsbeing advanced longitudinally on said first conveyor, said side seamportions extending along the body portion of each carton, each cartonhaving closing flaps extended from the leading and trailing endsthereof, said camoperated roll being rockingly mounted, and said camarranged to maintain the roll elevated until the closing flap area atthe leading end has passed and to again lift the roll before it engagesthe closing flaps at the trailing end of the carton.

3. ln apparatus of the character described, in combination, means forproducing flat side-seamed cartons from prescored carton blanksincluding a conveyor, and means cooperating with the discharge end ofsaid conveyor for receiving and accumulating the side-seamed cartonsincluding a second conveyor disposed at a lower level than said firstconveyor, said cartons being propelled from said first conveyor to fallfreely by gravity onto said second conveyor and into shingled relationto preceding cartons, and guide means comprising angularly arrangedplates disposed in the path of the cartons to engage the same as theyare propelled from said first conveyor whereby to control the free fallof the cartons during the forward movement thereof to providesubstantially uniform placement of successive cartons being accumulatedon said second conveyor, each conveyor being provided with a separatedrive, said first conveyor being driven at a rate relative to the secondconveyor such as to arrange the cartons one upon another with theleading edges of the successive cartons closely spaced.

1. In apparatus of the character described, in combination, means forproducing flat side-seamed cartons from prescored carton blanksincluding a conveyor, means for feeding successive prescored cartonblanks onto the receiving end of said conveyor, means cooperating withthe discharge end of said conveyor for receiving and accumulating theside-seamed cartons including a second conveyor, said first conveyorarranged to discharge the cartons at a rate relative to the movement ofthe second conveyor such as to arrange the cartons one upon another withthe leading edges of successive cartons spaced a short distance apart,said carton-blank-feeding means comprising a magazine for supporting astack of prescored carton blanks, means for withdrawing successivelowermost carton blanks from the stack, means including stop guides forassuring release of only one carton blank at a time, means for adjustingsaid stop guides, and means for elevating the same to release a jammedcarton blank.
 2. In apparatus of the character described, incombination, means for producing flat side-seamed cartons from prescoredcarton blanks including a conveyor, means for feeding successiveprescored carton blanks onto the receiving end of said conveyor, meanscooperating with the discharge end of said conveyor for receiving andaccumulating the side-seamed cartons including a second conveyor, saidfirst conveyor arranged to discharge the cartons at a rate relative tothe movement of the second conveyor such as to arrange the cartons oneupon another with the leading edges of successive cartons spaced a shortdistance apart, said accumulating conveyor disposed at a lower levelthan said first conveyor, the cartons being propelled forwardly fromsaid first conveyor to fall freely by gravity onto the receiving end ofsaid accumulating conveyor into shingled relation to preceding cartons,the side seams of said cartons being adhesively secured, said producingmeans including a cam-operated presser roll adapted to be raised andlowered to effect application of pressure to the side seam portions onlyof the cartons being advanced longitudinally on said first conveyor,said side seam portions extending along the body portion of each carton,each carton having closing flaps extended from the leading and trailingends thereof, said cam-operated roll being rockingly mounted, and saidcam arranged to maintain the roll elevated until the closing flap areaat the leading end has passed and to again lift the roll before itengages the closing flaps at the trailing end of the carton.
 3. Inapparatus of the character described, in combination, means forproducing flat side-seamed cartons from prescored carton blanksincluding a conveyor, and means cooperating with the discharge end ofsaid conveyor for receiving and accumulating the side-seamed cartonsincluding a second conveyor disposed at a lower level than said firstconveyor, said cartons being propelled from said first conveyor to fallfreely by gravity onto said second conveyor and into shingled relationto preceding cartons, and guide means comprising angularly arrangedplates disposed in the path of the cartons to engage the same as theyare propelled from said first conveyor whereby to control the free fallof the cartons during the forward movement thereof to providesubstantially uniform placement of successive cartons being accumulatedon said second conveyor, each conveyor being provided with a separatedrive, said first conveyor being driven at a rate relative to the secondconveyor such as to arrange the cartons one upon another with theleading edges of the successive cartons closely spaced.